Arcade Fire’s New Video Features Andrew Garfield

Photo Courtesy of Arcade Fire

FDRMX reported earlier this month that a new Arcade Firemusic video was on its way and would feature Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield dressed in drag.

We Exist is the first single off of of the album Reflektor and only the second to have a music video. Arcade Fire scored a marketing boon with the involvement of Andrew Garfield, who despite starring in the commercially disappointing Amazing Spider-man 2 is still making a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s leading men. Garfield himself is a fan of Arcade Fire, having vocalized his support in early 2012.

The video begins with a lonely and crying Garfield looking depressingly in the mirror before shaving his head. He then proceeds to put on a wig and dress as the music plays on around him. Soon after he enters a bar where he is verbally and physically assaulted by many male patrons. Before long he is pushed to the dance floor and further beaten. Then suddenly, when all looks terrible, Garfield enters a hallucinatory state that allow him to strike some killer dance moves on the floor.

The chorus seems focused on the homophobia expressed by the violent patrons with lyrics “Maybe it’s true/They’re staring at you/When you walk in a room/Turn on us fine/Stare if you like/Or just let us through/Just let us through

Songwriter Win Butler announced in a press release that the song is “about a gay kid talking to his dad.” The video and song is indeed filled with many pro-gay marriage messages. As Garfield’s character embraces his identity the world around him changes to make him more powerful. The chorus of “The right to marry anyone you want is a human rights issue.” Butler continued.

The video can be viewed here. Arcade Fire begins their Reflektor WorldTour on May 29th but won’t get to the States until August.